Weeknight Dinner

Cucumber and Goat Cheese Toasts
Red Quinoa with Arugula, Roasted Vegetables
and Lemon Pistachio Gremolata



Cucumber and Goat Cheese Toasts
Spread approximately 1 teaspoon of plain goat cheese atop fresh or toasted bread. Top with thinly sliced cucumber and place on a plate or platter. Drizzle over a bit of extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Red Quinoa with Arugula, Roasted Vegetables
and Lemon Pistachio Gremolata
This recipe is adapted from my Moroccan Quinoa with Roasted Fall Vegetables. Here I use red quinoa instead of white, which I thought had a more delicate flavor, and toss in a bit of fresh arugula. I also use seasonal summer vegetables and instead of topping off the dish with goat cheese, I make a wonderfully flavorful Lemon Pistachio Gremolata. This tangy, buttery topping is what really makes this simple vegan dish truly flavorful. To be honest, this gremolata is the most successful part of the dish and since making it, a few weeks back, I have being trying to think of what else this nutty topping could grace – maybe atop a goat cheese crostini or maybe tossed into some plain grains …




Serves 4

Ingredients

1 medium (white) sweet potato, peeled, diced into 1 inch cubes
4 medium carrots, cut into 1 pieces
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
3 small zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium yellow or crookneck squash, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 cups baby arugula
Gremolata
zest of 1 lemon and juice of half
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch fresh ground pepper
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large roasting pan, toss together the sweet potato, carrot and onion with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for approximately 30 minutes, or until slightly caramelized. Remove the pan from the oven and add the zucchini and crookneck squash. Toss together with the hot veggies, add more oil, if needed, and return to the oven for 18-20 more minutes, or until all of the veggies are slightly caramelized.
Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa well in a fine sieve. In a medium saucepan bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Season the quinoa with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter or bowl. Add the baby arugula to the warm quinoa and toss together to wilt the arugula.
To make the gremolata, mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
When the vegetables are caramelized, remove from the oven, season with a bit more salt. Serve the warm vegetables over the quinoa and top with a bit of the gremolata.

Quinoa

If you haven’t yet tried quinoa, you really should, and if you have then you already know that this incredibly healthy gluten-free grain is a wonderful addition to the pantry. Quinoa is a good source of fiber, magnesium and iron and is especially valued in the vegetarian diet for its high protein content. Plus, not only is quinoa good for you, it tastes pretty darn good too – it has a light fluffy texture with just a slight crunchy bite and a mild nutty taste. Similar to couscous and rice, quinoa is exceptionally versatile and will take on whatever flavors you choose. However, I really enjoy the subtle nutty flavor of quinoa when cooked with only water. I keep quinoa stocked in the pantry and cook it up in twenty minutes, then add whatever ingredients I have on hand. Try substituting quinoa in some of your favorite rice and couscous dishes for a healthier treat.
Cooking Note: Make sure to rinse the quinoa well before cooking or it can have a bitter taste.

Quinoa with Celery, Apple and Pecans
In this recipe I use fresh citrus juice to flavor the quinoa and toss in finely chopped celery, sour granny smith apples and toasted pecans for a bit of crunch. This dish is fresh and light, and at the same time hearty and filling. You could serve this dish over mixed greens for lunch or as a side dish anytime of the year.


Serves 6

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
- scant 3 cups water
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 3 stocks celery, diced
- 1 granny smith apple, cored and diced
- 1/3 cups pecans, toasted, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juices
- 1/4 cup orange juice

In a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid combine the quinoa and the water. Bring to a boil, stir once, place the lid on and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 20 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. Place the cooked quinoa in a large serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let cool 10 minutes.
Toss the quinoa with the celery, apple, pecans, olive oil, lemon juice and orange juice. Serve warm or cold.

Spinach, Quinoa and White Cheddar Bake
This dish is substantial enough to be the main entrée serve alongside a green salad and a loaf of fresh bread.


Serves 4

Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
- 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- pinch of crushed red-pepper flakes
- 1 cup white cheddar cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
- fresh ground pepper
- salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup low fat milk
- Olive-oil
- 2 small ripe tomatoes, sliced


To make the quinoa, bring to a boil 1 3/4 cups water in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the quinoa and reduce the heat to low. Simmer with a lid for about 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl and let cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking dish with olive oil.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme, and red-pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and cook 1 minute. Add the drained frozen spinach and mixture ingredients together. Transfer the spinach mixture to the quinoa, and gently combine.
Add the cheese, milk, and egg to the quinoa/spinach mixture and gently stir until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the sliced tomato. Sprinkle the reserved cheese on top of the tomato and bake in the oven with a lid or covered with a piece of foil for 30 minutes. Remove the lid/ foil and bake 25-30 minutes more, or until the cheese is golden. Slice, and serve warm or at room temperature.

A Healthy Meal

Moroccan Quinoa with Roasted Fall Vegetables
Green Beans with Toasted Almonds


Moroccan Quinoa with Roasted Fall Vegetables
Though this dish is certainly not authentic Moroccan cuisine (given that I know nothing on the subject), I was inspired to use flavors from the Moroccan kitchen, when creating this healthy dinner. The quinoa is scented with cumin and saffron and compliments the roasted vegetables in both flavor and texture. The quinoa is topped with cilantro and goat cheese to build another layer of flavors to completes the dish. Alongside, I served green beans tossed with nutty, toasted almonds, which goes nicely with the main dish.


Serves 6

Ingredients
- 1 large yam, peeled, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium (about 1 pound) butternut squash, peeled, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large carrots, cut into 1 pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- pinch saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large roasting pan, toss the diced butternut squash, yam, carrot, cauliflower and onion with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for approximately -55 minutes, or until caramelized.
Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa well in a fine sieve. In a medium saucepan heat the water and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cumin and saffron, cover and let steep 10 minutes. Bring the liquid back to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Season the quinoa with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter or bowl. Toss the hot roasted vegetables with the quinoa. Serve warm. Top each individual serving with the cilantro and some of the goat cheese.